


Matt's Irony

by Lucy112235



Series: ETN Highschool AU [2]
Category: Escape the Night (Web Series)
Genre: Candy, Friendship, Halloween, Matt is lonely, Matt is third wheeling, Mrs, Multi, Ro loves candy, Rofiya, Saf loves bats, but don't worry ro and saf love him, matt loves his stupid friends, the good bean trio is actually happy in one of my fics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 05:27:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20187019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucy112235/pseuds/Lucy112235
Summary: Where I felt so freaking terrible about what I made this good bean trio go through in Chapter 10 of ETTN that I wrote a one-shot where they're actually happy.A sequel to "Dumb Rosanna".





	Matt's Irony

**Author's Note:**

> I was chatting with a fellow author a few months ago, and this idea came up, so I just wanted to write it because I want a hAPPY FIC WITH THESE THREE OKAY

In the beginning, she would have never thought she’d fall for Rosanna Pansino.

Even after they became close friends, heck,  _ best  _ friends, the thought never really crossed Safiya’s mind. It was her, Matt, and Ro- and that was the way it would stay. Not her and Ro, plus Matt. He had been Safiya’s best friend since freshman year, and no romance would come between that.

Even before Saf realized that she was falling,  _ hard,  _ she knew that Rosanna was having a big impact on her. She kept her walls up and had a very stoic, composed, no-nonsense personality. Matt was the first person outside of her family to break down her walls, and it took time. A  _ lot  _ of time. Yet he stuck by.

But with Rosanna, Safiya’s walls came down almost instantly. Ro had an energy that made her an instant friend to anyone she met, and a smile that could break down even the strongest barriers. 

She took this as Rosanna’s nature. Nothing special. But she couldn’t deny that she was softer, more vulnerable by her influence. And it started to get stronger.

Something warm swirled inside her chest every time Rosanna walked in a room. A flush of red every time she hugged her. Butterflies storming her gut when Ro would look at her.

Normally, Safiya wasn’t the lovey-dovey type. She was more quiet, reserved with her feelings. This was precisely why her and Colleen didn’t work out. A clash in personalities always kept them apart. But with Rosanna, it was like her influence began to let a different part of Saf shine. A part she didn’t know existed.

It was a month after Rosanna joined their classes that Safiya realized she had fallen for her. She kept this a secret of course, because it was better not to interfere with their friendship.

Before this realization, Rosanna had crossed her mind a ridiculous amount of times, and for the first time in her life, Safiya was distracted in class. Not only by Ro’s beautiful brown eyes, her winsome smile, or her  beauteous laugh, but her mind had its focus on the feeling of Ro’s hand in her grasp, her head leaning on Saf’s shoulder. Her timid courage and her hidden openness. 

It took about a week after Saf realized it to make Matt talk to her after weeks of being suspicious of what was happening to his friend. Her voice was softer around people she didn’t know. More open. It wasn’t like her. But Rosanna was the obvious answer- that wasn’t what he was worried about. Safiya was getting  _ distracted in class-  _ which was extremely unlike her. She got a B+ on a report, which just added to his confusion. Saf was a straight-A student. She had never gotten a B in her  _ life.  _ And yet, she did.

Every time the three would hang out, it always seemed like there was this strange tension between Safiya and Rosanna. The thing was, Rosanna was just her normal self. 

Mostly.

She was just as sweet and friendly as ever, but her impulsiveness seemed to die down. Not that it wasn’t there, but she began to think before she leapt more. Used more rational thinking. Which he was pretty sure did  _ not  _ come from him.

However, Rosanna was not nearly as affected as Safiya. The girl was always looking off, and whenever the three were together, Safiya seemed to turn a little pink, which was so,  _ so  _ not her.

It didn’t take long to put two and two together.

_ My two best friends like each other. _

It immediately made him feel like sort of the odd man out, even though he was happy for his two friends. It wasn’t like he was single. He had Manny, and he loved him, and he was happy.

However, after weeks of nothing happening, Matt decided he was morally obligated to make his two friends admit their feelings, even if matchmaker wasn’t the role he usually played. 

One day, he confronted Saf on the matter. She denied everything he said for a full ten minutes before finally fessing up. Her concern over their friendship was sweet, but he told her he just wanted her to be happy. It didn’t take long for Matt to have a similar conversation with Rosanna. 

After school, they were all hanging out, and Matt excused himself, saying that the two “needed to talk”. He promptly left them alone for twenty minutes, and he didn’t know what happened between the two, but when he came back, Rosanna was curled up in Safiya’s arms and they both had huge smiles on their faces.

They reluctantly told him that they were together, and he couldn’t have been happier for them. However, things started to take a turn…

It was mid-October, and the three had decided to spend the Saturday shopping and watching movies together. 

Matt waited for his friends at their favorite sweet shop. At this time of the year, all the candy and treats were Halloween-themed, which was their favorite.

Safiya and Rosanna showed up, hands interlocked. Matt smiled, but he got a bad inkling. Not one of trouble, but one that he felt like he might become a third wheel.

“Hey, guys!” He said enthusiastically. “Are you excited?”

“Yeah!” Rosanna clasped her hands together. “Can we get Oreos?”

“Of course!” Safiya responded. “The Halloween ones are my favorite.”

“Mine too!” Rosanna smiled. 

“Let’s head inside,” Matt suggested. The three walked in, and Rosanna bounced around like… well, a kid in a candy store. 

“Ooh! They have samples!” she gushed. “It’s the Reese’s Bat Peanut Butter cups!”

“I wonder who will like those,” Matt said playfully, eyeing Safiya.

Safiya was already chomping one down. Matt knew she loved bats, and she loved Reese’s, so it was obvious she would like them. Rosanna laughed.

“Oh! Kitkats!” Rosanna practically squealed. She grabbed one and put it in a bag. 

“Get two more,” Saf told her. Rosanna beamed and grabbed a handful.

This proceeded for some time: Rosanna squealing and grabbing any candy in sight, Safiya being nearly as enthusiastic, and Matt tagging along. After they had purchased about forty dollars worth of candy, they all agreed that they should go to a different shop.

“Let’s go to the costume store!” Safiya suggested. ‘I heard they have these cool bat wings.”

Matt and Rosanna agreed. As they walked the short block to the costume store, Safiya and Rosanna laughed and had light conversation, holding hands along the way. Sadly, the sidewalk was only big enough for two, so Matt traveled behind the couple. He sulked, knowing that his inkling was right. He knew his friends didn’t mean to make him feel bad, but it definitely felt like he was a third wheel.

The whole day continued about the same. Safiya and Rosanna laughing and playing around with bats and old records and whatever while Matt sulked in the corner. The same song repeated in his head.

_ ♪ Lonely, I'm so lonely... _

_ I have nobody... _

_ To call my own _

_ I'm so lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely _

_ I have nobody _

_ To call my own... _

_ I'm so lonely ♪ _

It’s 10 PM, and they were at the end credits of  _ Halloweentown High.  _ Rosanna was nearly asleep, cuddled up next to Safiya on Matt’s couch. She could feel the taller girl’s arm wrapped around her. For some reason, being in Saf’s arms was so comforting. Like a safe space. Saf kissed her forehead.

Matt was still staring intently at the screen.

“Matt, can we turn off the movie?” Safiya asked. “Why do you always watch the credits?”

He turned back to her. “Aren’t you entertained? It’s all the score creators and producers and casting directors!”

Rosanna opened her eyes enough to look at him with the same face Safiya did. 

“Fine,” Matt huffed, playfully rolling his eyes. He clicked the remote and the TV turned off.

“Are you okay?” Rosanna asked sleepily. “You seemed a little down earlier.”

“Shh, Ro, go back to sleep,” Safiya whispered. As much as Rosanna wanted to, she shook her head.

Matt sighed. “Today was really fun. I guess… I don’t know… I’m really happy for you guys, but I kinda felt… sort of… like…”

“Like a third wheel?” Safiya asked. Matt nodded.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Matt!” Rosanna jumped off the couch and threw her arms around him. “We didn’t mean to make you feel left out!”

“No, of course you didn’t,” Matt hugged her back. “I know it’s kind of stupid of me…”

Safiya smiled. “No, it isn’t. We’re sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Matt smiled back. He opened his arm for Saf, and she joined the hug.

And that night, the three friends were happy. 


End file.
